HPD officer awaiting trial faces new charges

Star-Bulletin staff

A Honolulu police officer awaiting trial in federal court for distributing about two pounds of crystal methamphetamine is facing additional charges.

A federal grand jury indicted James Leslie Corn Jr. yesterday with two counts of being a drug user in possession of firearms that were transported in interstate commerce. The offense is a misdemeanor, punishable by 10 years in prison.

Corn, who was under internal investigation by Honolulu police in two separate matters, was arrested Aug. 25 after he accepted $1,000 from a drug dealer for allegedly providing "protection" during a drug deal at Starbucks in Ward Centre.

He later admitted to providing protection to the drug dealer, actually an undercover officer.

Corn also admitted to being addicted to cocaine and selling small quantities in the past year.

One of the new charges relates to an unregistered .38-caliber pistol that he admitted selling to the drug dealer on Feb. 18.

The second count stemmed from an unregistered .32-caliber pistol recovered from his car following his arrest.